Several workers are feared dead after a powerful explosion at a stone quarry in Dhenkanal, Odisha, caused a massive rockfall on Saturday evening. Rescue teams are using heavy machinery and search dogs to locate survivors
An explosion at a stone quarry in Odisha’s Dhenkanal district has left several workers feared dead and has led to a major rescue operation, officials said on Sunday.
The blast, which occurred on Saturday evening near Gopalpur village, caused a large portion of rocks to collapse while labourers were engaged in drilling and stone extraction work, as per ANI.
The explosion sent shockwaves through the quarry site under the jurisdiction of the Motanga police station, and a massive rockfall followed, burying workers under debris. At this stage, the exact number of people trapped or killed has not been confirmed. Emergency responders have been working through the rubble in hopes of finding survivors.
#ପଥରଖଣିରୁ_ବାହାରିଲା_୨_ଶ୍ରମିକଙ୍କ_ମୃତଦେହ
ଗତକାଲିଠୁ ଫସିରହିଥିବା ଶ୍ରମିକଙ୍କ ମୃତଦେହ ଉଦ୍ଧାର
ଢେଙ୍କାନାଳ ପଥର ଖାଦାନରେ ବ୍ଲାଷ୍ଟିଂ ବେଳେ ଅଘଟଣ
ମୋଟଙ୍ଗା ଥାନା ଗୋପାଳପୁର ନିକଟ ଖାଦାନର ଘଟଣା
ପଥର ଖାଦାନରେ ବ୍ଲାଷ୍ଟିଂ ପାଇଁ ନଥିଲା ଅନୁମତି#Dhenkanal @districtadmndkl pic.twitter.com/8L8mX4sevv— News18 Odia (@News18Odia) January 4, 2026
Rescue teams from the local fire service and the Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (Odraf) rushed to the scene soon after receiving reports of the incident. Heavy machinery, a dog squad, and specialised equipment were brought in to help clear debris and locate those who may be trapped beneath towering rock fragments.
District officials, including Dhenkanal Collector Ashish Ishwar Patil and Superintendent of Police Abhinav Sonkar, arrived at the site to oversee the ongoing rescue efforts.Local political leaders have also reacted to the tragedy. Odisha’s Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik expressed grief over the loss of life. “I am deeply saddened to learn that workers lost their lives due to a rockfall following an explosion in a stone quarry in Dhenkanal,” he wrote on X, offering condolences to the families of the victims. Patnaik also called for a thorough investigation into the incident
While rescue efforts continue, officials are probing the cause of the blast and collapse. At this stage, it is still unclear how many workers remained trapped and what exactly triggered the powerful explosion.
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